Diane Rockwood told the Falmouth Public School Committee on Nov. 17 that the superintendent had indicated a specific site would be recommended as the district's early-learning center and asked the committee to give all elementary teaching staff an opportunity to weigh in before the board acts.

Rockwood said the superintendent told Chittick Elementary staff that "TTicket will be recommended as the early learning center," a comment Rockwood said was based on conversations with preschool staff but not on a yearlong process that included other elementary teachers. She said that narrowing discussion to one school community risks placing "an exceptional burden" on students and staff if the district moves to turn four interim elementary schools into three, and asked the committee to consider delaying a final decision so that a strategic, inclusive plan can be developed.

The superintendent was on the record at the meeting saying the district will hold two focused sessions to discuss grade configuration: a Nov. 24 meeting on fifth grade and a Dec. 9 meeting on eighth grade so principals and other presenters can provide more detail. The superintendent also said DESE will release staff attendance data on Nov. 18 broken out by groups (teachers, administrators, total staff) as averages.

The committee did not vote on any configuration at the Nov. 17 meeting. Committee members acknowledged Rockwood's request and scheduled the focused follow-up conversations the superintendent described. The next formal discussions on configuration were set for the Nov. 24 and Dec. 9 meetings.